Saturday, April 21, 2012

What Everyone Should Know About The Shingles Vaccine

By Phillip Adler


Shingles is a disease that occurs more often as people age. It is the result of a leftover chicken pox virus that hides in the body waiting to show up as shingles. It has been known to be quite painful as the virus runs along the highly sensitive nerve endings in the human body. It is a recurring disease and the shingles vaccine has shown great measures in reducing the likelihood of the disease developing and also lessens the degree of painfulness of the disease.

Shingles is a recurring disease caused by a virus. If a person has had chicken pox during their lifetime that virus remains in the body after the illness itself has been long gone. The virus stays dormant along the nerve roots but physical or emotional stress may cause the shingles virus to flare up.

Physical or emotional stress can cause relapses. Surgery, a poor diet or even getting older can bring about an occurrence.. It is more likely to occur in a person beyond the age of fifty. It is not a contagious disease but has been known to cause chicken pox in people that have never had it and are exposed to the liquid within the blisters. To be safe, keep blistering area bandaged.

An episode of the illness starts off as a tingling or pain that travels over the nervous system. A rash with blisters will often follow as the disease progresses. Many people suffer excruciating and long lasting pain that interferes with their enjoyment of life. The vaccination for shingles does not treat the symptoms but steroids is often prescribed for pain relief. The injection is used for disease prevention and to lessen the degree of severity of symptoms.

The injection is usually given in the area of the upper arm just like any other shot. The active ingredients are made from a weak strain of the virus that is known to cause chicken pox. Resulting side effects may cause a slight swelling or redness to the skin which could also be itchy. The drug is fairly costly per vaccine but health insurance may cover the expense.

Studies have shown that the vaccine actually reduces the likelihood of getting the virus by about fifty percent. It also typically reduces the degree of pain that is felt while the disease is in an active stage. It can recur many times so it is recommended for most people over the age of sixty.

People should not get a vaccination if they are pregnant or if they are allergic to any component of the vaccination. Also, it should not be used if the immune system is compromised by other health factors such as serious diseases. Basically if there is another serious condition present, the shot may not be advisable.

The best advice is to follow a doctors recommendation regarding a shingles vaccine. It has been shown that it improves quality of life for those who are apt to suffer from the disease. Over one million cases occur each year and is recommended for the elderly as a regular preventative treatment.




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